Safeguarding Policy

SAFEGUARDING POLICY – Private Music Tuition & Music Groups

Child Protection in Music Education is a mandatory training course undertaken regularly by the music tutor/director. Other mandatory training undertaken regularly includes First Aid and Information Governance & Data Security (GDPR). Child Protection in Music Education provides musicians with a better understanding of their responsibilities and how they can avoid situations which could lead to accusations of misconduct. The training covers:

Child development

Forms of child abuse

Recognising child abuse

Reporting abuse and the child protection system

Good practice

Safeguarding Children, Young People and vulnerable adults

This Safeguarding Policy applies to Tom Hughes Music (THM) all students receiving 1:1 music tuition, all music group members, volunteers and all others invited to perform or work with THM.

Tom Hughes Music is committed to ensuring that all children, young people and vulnerable adults have the same protection regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity. THM is committed to anti-discriminatory practice and explicitly recognises the additional needs of children, young people and vulnerable adults from minority ethnic groups and the disabled and the barriers they may face, especially around communication.

The law requires any organisation involving children, young people or vulnerable adults to take all reasonable measures to ensure that the risks of harm to vulnerable adults' and children's welfare are minimised, and where there are concerns, to share them with other local agencies. As a matter of good practice THM has developed this policy to provide:

• protection for children, young people and vulnerable adults with whom THM has contact (including the children/relatives of adults who use our services);
• guidance to ensure that the risks of harm to children, young people and vulnerable adults welfare are minimised;
• guidance for Responding to a Child or Vulnerable Adult making an Allegation of Abuse;
• guidance on procedures that should be adopted in the event that any adult suspects a child, young person or vulnerable adult may be experiencing, or be at risk of experiencing harm.

THM recognises that it is not the role of our organisation to decide whether a child, young person or vulnerable adult has been abused or not. This is the role of the Social Services department which has the legal responsibility, the NSPCC who have powers to investigate child protection concerns under the Children Act or the Police.

The main laws and guidance supporting this policy are:

The Children's Act 1989 and 2004; The Human Rights Act 1998; The Protection of Children Act 1999; The Sexual Offences (Amendments) Act 2006; The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1991; Government guidance on safeguarding children; Caring for the Young and Vulnerable 2000; The Care Act 2014; The Charity Commission's Strategy for Dealing with Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Issues in Charities'. In developing this policy, THM has taken input from the national amateur music performance association Making Music and the NSPCC.

Who are Children or Vulnerable Adults?

In this context anyone up to the age of 18 is a child. An adult is defined in the Care Act 2014 as someone over 18 years old who has care and support needs, is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect as a result of their care and support needs or is unable to protect himself or herself against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.

How Tom Hughes Music operates

THM is a self-employed music practitioner/director and offers a range of 1:1 instrumental lessons and music groups. Rehearsals/lessons are run by our self-employed Musical Director. Music students and groups attend weekly lessons/rehearsals during term time in order to develop their music studies or prepare for concerts. There are no employed staff or volunteers in the conventional sense. From time-to-time THM organises other events such as workshops and social events.

1:1 Music Lessons

THM provides 1:1 music tuition to children aged 6+ to adults aged 18+ in a variety of settings. These settings include at school, at home or online. Further guidance for safeguarding measures are outlined in the learning agreement/terms and conditions.

Music Groups

Most music group members are generally independent adults and there are no people (under 18) who rehearse and perform with the music groups. However, children aged 14+ are welcome to attend rehearsals/performances and join in if written consent is given by an appropriate adult and that they are dropped off/collected on time. THM is unlikely to be targeted by a person seeking opportunities to abuse children or vulnerable adults. Nevertheless, THM recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of children and vulnerable adults with whom it works and comes into contact, and believes that everyone has the right to enjoy the activities of the music group in a happy, safe and secure environment.

THE POLICY

Tom Hughes Music will publicise its Safeguarding Policy on its website www.tomhughesmusic.co.uk and draw it to the attention of students, parents/carers and music group members.

Guidelines

• Membership - Should any child or close relative (under 18) of a member of THM participate in music groups with THM, the member must act as a responsible adult. Should any other child/young person participate in any THM activities, they must be accompanied by an appropriate adult. If a parent/responsible adult cannot attend then written consent must be provided and the young person dropped off/collected on time.
• Joint concerts with schools - THM will make appropriate joint working arrangements to ensure that school groups will always be in the care of their teachers and helpers and/or parents who will bear responsibility for their welfare at all times. This does not detract from the music group's general responsibility to provide a safe environment for joint activities and the principles of this safeguarding policy still apply.
• Audiences and Social Events - THM is aware that children and vulnerable adults may attend their concerts as members of the audience, or attend social functions hosted by THM. It is the responsibility of the parent, guardian or carer to ensure adequate supervision. If a parent/guardian/carer is not personally attending an event this policy requires them to be satisfied that the child or vulnerable adult will be accompanied and adequately supervised by a responsible adult acting on their behalf at all times.
• Privacy - Parents and guardians should be aware that photography, audio and video recording are undertaken from time to time at concerts and rehearsals. The images and recordings are used both on- and off- line including on the web. They provide valuable tools to promote the work of the music groups to a wider audience and form part of the historical record of our work.
• Abuse - THM endeavours by the implementation of this safeguarding policy to protect and minimise the risks of abuse of children, young people and vulnerable adults. The term child abuse is used to describe a range of ways that people harm children. Abuse of adults can happen anywhere. It can happen at home, in a residential or nursing home, in a hospital, at work or in the street. There are four main categories of abuse namely physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect. THM notes the importance of being alert to signals of abuse and to the difficulty children or vulnerable adults may have n reporting it.

Measure for implementation of this policy

• Tom Hughes (Music Director) is the Designated Person in respect of Safeguarding. The Designated Person, who is DBS checked, shall undertake appropriate training as required and will be identified to children and vulnerable adults as the principal person they should turn to if they have any concerns or queries.
• Any concerns regarding either, a child or a music group member, or other adult must immediately be reported to the Designated Person.